Looking for a cheap hostel in LA? Most are in the $35-$50 range, plus 14% for LA’s hotel tax. I tried out two cheaper options. I compared the two, but I deleted the “pros” and “cons” because who am I to judge whether these are good or bad?

Option 1 – Living in a van in the Burbank Walmart

Free

Access to bathroom and groceries

No kitchen (but you can buy a camping stove at Walmart)

People stared at me

At 9am the van gets too hot to sleep in

Get your wifi at Starbucks

Option 2 – Living at the cheapest Airbnb possible in Koreatown

$20 – $25 per night

You get a bed

It’s a bunkbed

There are 10 other people sleeping in the room with you

The kitchen has very few utensils and is dirty

You need earplugs and an eyemask because of that 10 other people thing